The present invention is related to Japanese patent application No. Hei. 11-127980, filed May 10, 1999, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention generally relates to a cross-flow fan, and more particularly, to a cross-flow fan, which provides for reduced ventilation resistance.
Presently, there is a conventional technique (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-126125) which uses a cross-flow fan as a cooling fan for a heat exchanger mounted in a vehicle. As shown in FIG. 12, this technique uses a heat exchanger 100 disposed in the path of run wind. A cross-flow fan 110 is disposed toward the vehicle""s rear side with respect to the heat exchanger 100, so that air passing through the heat exchanger 100 flows from the front side of the vehicle to the rear side. As such, it is possible to cool the heat exchanger 100 by using the run wind generated by movement of the vehicle, in addition to the cooling wind generated by the cross-flow fan 110.
However, when heat exchanger 100 is cooled by using the run wind, the run wind passing through the heat exchanger 100 passes through the inside of a casing 120 of the cross-flow fan 110. A bladed wheel 130 is contained in the inside of casing 120, which results in large ventilation resistance. Therefore, it is difficult for the run wind to pass through, thereby resulting in ineffective use of the run wind. The present invention was developed in light of these drawbacks.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cross-flow fan, which increases the amount of wind sent without increasing the power of the motor.
According to a first aspect of the invention, a cross-flow fan for ventilating a heat exchanger sucks air into a casing through the heat exchanger. An opening portion for ventilation is bored into a wall surface of the casing. As a result, ventilation resistance in the casing is decreased. Therefore, air movement therethrough is increased.
According to a second aspect of the invention, the casing includes a partition for partitioning the air passage into an intake side and a discharge side. A tongue portion is positioned close to the outer periphery of the bladed wheel as an apex. Also, an opening is bored in the wall surface forming the partition.
According to a third aspect of the invention, the partition has roughly a mountain shape formed by the wall surface at the intake side with respect to the tongue portion and the wall surface at the discharge side. The opening is bored in either the wall surface at the intake side or the wall surface at the discharge side. Or, the opening is bored into both surfaces.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the openings are bored into both the wall surface at the intake side and the wall surface at the discharge side thereby forming the partition. The respective distances between the two openings and the center of a swirl generated inside of the casing at the time of rotation of the bladed wheel are equal to each other.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, the cross-flow fan is disposed at a vehicle""s rear side with respect to the heat exchanger mounted in a vehicle, so that a run wind passing through the heat exchanger can be introduced into the inside of the casing. In this case, since the run wind can pass through the inside and the outside of the casing through the opening portions bored in the casing, it becomes easy for the run wind to escape from the inside of the casing, and an increase of an amount of run wind can be expected.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.